“[W]e are working to ensure that the Canadian justice system no longer allows the worst criminals to pose a risk to you, your children, and our communities.” – Mr. Harper in March 2015
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93% of Canadians said that they are “satisfied with their personal safety from crime,” yet Mr. Harper continues to promote getting tougher on crime.
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Despite the headlines and statements of various politicians, police reported crime rates are the lowest since 1972, Canadian violent crime rates are down 14% over the last 20 years, and crime severity has decreased by 36% since 2003.[Source, Source]

Tough on crime is not working in America; from Texas to California, governments are dialling back the laws that have led to mass incarceration.[Source, Source]

Rehabilitation works, locking more people up for longer times does not work. Sweden has shown the world how to do it and save the taxpayers money.[Source, Source]

The growing cost of crime fighting and prison is not fiscally responsible. In the last 10 years, police spending in Canada rose from $6 billion to $12 billion. Locking up a male inmate costs an average of $110,000 a year. The federal budget for the Correctional Service of Canada (CSC) has increased 40 per cent to $2.6 billion in the past five years.[Source, Source]

Mr. Harper’s policies will lead to much more years of incarceration as well as more courts and prisons. The “Truth in Sentencing Act” alone will cost $1.8 billion over a five-year period and add 3,754 new inmates to federal prisons and will add 159 days to each prisoner’s time in jail.[Source, Source]

Tough on crime means tough to rehabilitate. Canadian prisoners are serving longer sentences in more severe conditions. This does not act as a deterrent for crime. In fact, longer sentencing is more likely to cause a 3% increase in recidivism.[ Source, Source, Source]

For Mr. Harper’s first five years in office, his government failed to collect $285 million in fines from white collar crime.
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Aboriginal communities have high rates of incarceration. 23% of prisoners are Aboriginals, who comprise 4.3% of Canada’s population. One in three female prisoners is from Canada’s First Nations. Harsher and longer sentencing will disproportionally affect the First Nations.[Source, Source, Source]

Mr. Harper’s ‘Tough on Crime’ policies will cost the provincial governments more. In 2012, the federal government spent $5.5 billion while the provinces spent $14.8 billion, a split of 27% and 73%. Provincial security expenditures took up the majority of the cost increases with a 41% increase from $5.6 billion in 2002 to $7.9 billion in 2012.[Source, Source]